Every year, something exciting happens towards the end of February (besides the start of spring training for baseball), it’s attending the Best Practices Ministry (BPM) in Phoenix, AZ. Since last year’s conference was closed due to COVID, many people were looking forward to attending this year's event. A record number attended, over 2000 people! Plus there were around 300 workshops where presenters/attendees shared what they are doing in ministry, including my session on how to use social media to reach the lost.

         

Pictured here are Pastor Tim Norton, LCMS Navajo Mission Church, and Pastor Robin Abrol, Director of Ministry with On Eagle's Wings.

            It was great to visit with people while representing LAMP Ministry at its exhibit table. Many who knew or supported LAMP in the past shared their stories with me. Others asked where we served and what we do. It was a great time of sharing and connecting.

 I was able to visit in person with my instructor and dean of the Cross-Cultural Ministry Center through Concordia, Irvine. Dr. Fluegge even led our class online from his hotel room. One of my classmates was also at BPM and led a workshop on leading worship music well; less is more!

             In addition, I was able to spend time in person with the three other mission organizations that serve indigenous people throughout Canada and Alaska －Alaska Mission for Christ, B.C. Mission Boat Society, and On Eagles Wings. It was nice to finally meet in person since we have been meeting online for the past two years.

 On Saturday, I led my workshop on reaching the lost with social media, using my ministry with LAMP as an example. Although an introvert, I don’t normally get nervous when speaking, except with the LWML groups (more of a reverent fear), and I found a new one －speaking in front of my former college speech teacher, Dr. Steuve! Thankfully, she was gracious and said I did “very well”, which was an improvement when I was an undergrad at Concordia Portland.

         
           Once the conference was over, I visited with a long-term serving team from Yuma, AZ. It was a good visit, and an opportunity to thank the congregation for their many years of service.

             All in all, it was a great trip. When I left Phoenix, the weather was in the upper 70s. When I landed back in Portland, we had record lows for late February as the evening temperature dropped to 27 degrees.